Pharmacy From point A to B A brief lecture on how to reach pharmacy school from UC Merced Presented by: Sean E. Stafford

Why Pharmacy? A career that is needed in an ever expanding health care field. A career that is needed in an ever expanding health care field. Highly demanded Highly demanded Excellent pay, median salary ~$90,000 Excellent pay, median salary ~$90,000 Chemistry and drug interaction expert Chemistry and drug interaction expert Work in hospital, retail, or research Work in hospital, retail, or research Never on call, able to have a ‘life’ Never on call, able to have a ‘life’

What do Pharmacists do? Provide supervision, care, and counseling to patients in pharmacies and hospitals Provide supervision, care, and counseling to patients in pharmacies and hospitals Develop and research drugs. Develop and research drugs. Share their wealth of knowledge about drug mechanisms and effects to better the every day lives of patients with the collaboration of other doctors. Share their wealth of knowledge about drug mechanisms and effects to better the every day lives of patients with the collaboration of other doctors. Chemists that care. Chemists that care.

Where do I start? Start in college as any major Start in college as any major Plan to complete the required pre-requisite classes for Pharmacy schools before college completion. Plan to complete the required pre-requisite classes for Pharmacy schools before college completion. Coordinate with counselor to see which classes are equivalent to pre-requisites. Coordinate with counselor to see which classes are equivalent to pre-requisites.

Long term goals Keep GPA above 3.5, excel in science classes. Keep GPA above 3.5, excel in science classes. Do research, lab, or volunteer work Do research, lab, or volunteer work Obtain 3-5 letters of recommendation Obtain 3-5 letters of recommendation Keep updated constantly with dates, deadlines, and requirements. Keep updated constantly with dates, deadlines, and requirements.

Classes (Cue excel classes) (Cue excel classes)

Work/ Lab/ Volunteer experience All extracurricular work looks excellent on resume/ transcripts All extracurricular work looks excellent on resume/ transcripts Very beneficial, more time spent = highly favorable to admissions committee Very beneficial, more time spent = highly favorable to admissions committee Publications, total work hours, letters of recommendations show proof of hard work. The more the better. Publications, total work hours, letters of recommendations show proof of hard work. The more the better.

Letters of Recommendation Generally 3 from faculty that know you best Generally 3 from faculty that know you best Usually 2 letters from Bio science faculty, 1 from non-major (research professor, volunteer coordinator) Usually 2 letters from Bio science faculty, 1 from non-major (research professor, volunteer coordinator) UCM career service will hold letters for 1 35$ a year. UCM career service will hold letters for 1 35$ a year.

PharmCAS Centralized application program that holds all transcript, application, and admission info to Pharmacy schools. Stores history of academic career, LOR, and personal info. Stores history of academic career, LOR, and personal info. Allows for initial application to desired Pharmacy schools. Allows for initial application to desired Pharmacy schools. Need to keep updated with secondaries. Need to keep updated with secondaries.

California Pharmacy Schools Loma Linda Loma Linda UC San Diego UC San Diego UC San Francisco UC San Francisco UOP UOP UC Southern California UC Southern California Western University Western University Touro University Touro University

Other Pharmacy Schools 83 non-california Pharmacy schools in U.S. 83 non-california Pharmacy schools in U.S. Similar requirements but need PCAT scores. Similar requirements but need PCAT scores.

The dreaded PCAT NOT needed for California based Pharmacy schools, only non-California Pharmacy schools NOT needed for California based Pharmacy schools, only non-California Pharmacy schools Similar to GRE, four hour test consists of six sections (Biology, Chemistry, Quantitative Ability, Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Writing) Similar to GRE, four hour test consists of six sections (Biology, Chemistry, Quantitative Ability, Reading Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning, Writing) Preparation books are highly recommended Preparation books are highly recommended

Summary PLAN AHEAD! PLAN AHEAD! Excel in pre-requisite classes, put in many extracurricular hours, keep updated with deadlines. Excel in pre-requisite classes, put in many extracurricular hours, keep updated with deadlines. Know requirements for each Pharmacy school. Know requirements for each Pharmacy school.

Questions? Helpful Links: Helpful Links: ia/ ia/ ia/ ia/ ltures/en- US/Harcourt/Community/PostSecondary/Pr oducts/pcat/subpages/introduction.htm ltures/en- US/Harcourt/Community/PostSecondary/Pr oducts/pcat/subpages/introduction.htm ltures/en- US/Harcourt/Community/PostSecondary/Pr oducts/pcat/subpages/introduction.htm ltures/en- US/Harcourt/Community/PostSecondary/Pr oducts/pcat/subpages/introduction.htm

Legal citations